Swords into Plowshares

Big Tent Registration Extended

The registration deadline for the Peacemaking Pre-conference Gun Violence, Gospel Values:   Mobilizing in Response to God’s Call and Conference Growing Christ’s Peace at the Big Tent is extended to JUNE 15.  Peacemaking registration scholarships funds are still available on a first come, first serve basis through June 15.  Scholarship applicants need to register for the Big Tent while awaiting scholarship approval.  No registration funds will be required, simply select the scholarship option.   Although registration for the children and youth programs is closed, a few spaces are available; parents/guardians can contact the G. A. Meeting Service.   Please register online, or download a registration form to complete and return. Contact the G.A. Meeting Service by email or at (800) 728-7228, 2417 if you have difficulties registering.

The cut–off date for reservations in the Big Tent hotels is JUNE 3.  Rooms may continue to be available after this date, but to ensure access to the conference rates ($99/night at the JW Marriott, $97/night at the Marriott Downtown), reserve lodgings as soon as possible online or by calling (800) 266-9432 and specifying “Presbyterian Church Big Tent” as you speak with a reservations agent.

Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs Webinar!

Budget Debates 102*:
Debt Ceiling, Spending Caps and Program Cuts
Why you should care & what you can do about it

May 26
12:00-1:00 Eastern
Contact [email protected] to register

Debt limit!  Triggers!  Spending caps! What does it all mean for your community?  For children?  Older adults?  People living with hunger or homelessness?  How can you protect vulnerable people from cuts to important services?
 
The budget debates in Congress pose some of the biggest threats to poor and hungry people that we have seen in decades.  Find out what they are and how they would make state and local budget cuts even worse.  Cut through the rhetoric and learn the simple truth about our budget, debt and deficits.  Learn how to respond and take action.
 
The Senate will be coming home for recess May 30-Jun 5.  Call their offices and set up meetings now!  Here’s how: http://fcnl.org/resources/toolkit/schedule_lobby_visit/ Our webinar will provide talking points for meetings and other actions.
 
*This webinar will not assume prior knowledge.  We’ll start from a beginner’s level.  However, for Budget Debates 101, you can review our last webinar and resources at http://www.ncjw.org/dhnbudget/.

Continued prayers for Sudan

Over the past week, we have seen reports flooding our inboxes with accounts of attacks in Abyei, a contested region in Sudan.  Here are just a few statements we have seen in the past days:

• “According to United Nations officials inside Abyei, there were at least a dozen northern tanks now prowling the town. But the United Nations monitoring team in Abyei was hampered from making more detailed observations because several mortar shells landed near the United Nations compound, and United Nations personnel were reluctant to venture into Abyei’s streets.”
• “U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a prepared statement Saturday called the attack ‘not only a serious breach of agreements between the parties, but also a criminal act against the United Nations.’”
• “The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan (UNMIS) today [May 21, 2011] expressed deep concern over troop build-up and reported fighting, including the use of heavy artillery and bombing, in the disputed Abyei area and appealed to both parties in the conflict to protect civilians.”

This fighting occurs as the UN Security Council is visiting Sudan.  As we prayed before the Security Council left, we pray today:

 

God who makes us for each other,

who calls us into community,

who binds us together in love,

we pray for the members of the

United Nations Security Council

as they travel to Sudan.

 

Extend to them traveling mercies.

Open their hearts, minds, and spirits

to learn from the people they meet

to understand what they witness.

 

Grant them compassion for the peoples of Sudan,

discernment to envision possibilities for peace, and

wisdom to design plans to protect and preserve the peace.

 

Move the nations of the world to respond quickly with what is needed to implement effectively those plans.

Fill those who serve in Sudan with grace and courage.

May peace prevail and justice be done.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Continued prayers for Sudan

Over the past week, we have seen reports flooding our inboxes with accounts of attacks in Abyei, a contested region in Sudan.  Here are just a few statements we have seen in the past days:

• “According to United Nations officials inside Abyei, there were at least a dozen northern tanks now prowling the town. But the United Nations monitoring team in Abyei was hampered from making more detailed observations because several mortar shells landed near the United Nations compound, and United Nations personnel were reluctant to venture into Abyei’s streets.”
• “U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a prepared statement Saturday called the attack ‘not only a serious breach of agreements between the parties, but also a criminal act against the United Nations.’”
• “The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan (UNMIS) today [May 21, 2011] expressed deep concern over troop build-up and reported fighting, including the use of heavy artillery and bombing, in the disputed Abyei area and appealed to both parties in the conflict to protect civilians.”

This fighting occurs as the UN Security Council is visiting Sudan.  As we prayed before the Security Council left, we pray today:

 

God who makes us for each other,

who calls us into community,

who binds us together in love,

we pray for the members of the

United Nations Security Council

as they travel to Sudan.

 

Extend to them traveling mercies.

Open their hearts, minds, and spirits

to learn from the people they meet

to understand what they witness.

 

Grant them compassion for the peoples of Sudan,

discernment to envision possibilities for peace, and

wisdom to design plans to protect and preserve the peace.

 

Move the nations of the world to respond quickly with what is needed to implement effectively those plans.

Fill those who serve in Sudan with grace and courage.

May peace prevail and justice be done.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

 

It Costs Too Much! The Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Presbyterians Speak Up

Join us for a Webinar on May 27
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar Seat Now

The Obama Administration is pushing to pass the three Free Trade Agreements – Korea, Colombia and Panama – by summer.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is organizing its voice now to speak on behalf of those who do not have a seat at the negotiating table – indigenous groups, small farmers, Colombia’s millions of displaced people and persecuted unionists. Our mission partners in Colombia are calling for the PC(USA) to raise its voice.
Join us to discuss:
                
• Ways for you to take action on behalf of our sisters and brothers in Colombia;
• How Colombia’s human rights record requires delaying this agreement;
• Why the Presbyterian Church of Colombia opposes the agreement in its present form;
• Why the cost of this agreement is too high for small farmers and others;
• How we as people of faith evaluate trade agreements.

Sign up now to hear from Lisa Haugaard, executive director of the Latin America Working Group; the Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, director of Colombia Programs for the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, which coordinates the Presbyterian Accompaniment Program on behalf of PC(USA) World Mission; and the Rev. Dr. Alexa Smith, Presbyterian Hunger Program.

Title: It Costs Too Much! The Colombia Free Trade Agreement: Presbyterians Speak Up
Date: Friday, May 27, 2011
Time: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EDT

System Requirements

PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food begins new term

Prof. Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food said,  “The right to food movement is composite, and it speaks different languages -- but it is emerging as a major voice in public debates about the direction in which our food systems should move.”

On May 1, Prof. De Shutter began his second three year term as the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food.  In his statement, De Shutter acknowledges the historical significance of hunger during his first term, including the first time in that more than 1 billion people were food insecure. 

As he begins his second term, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations with the Presbyterian Hunger Program continue to work with congregations and partners around the globe to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes. 

To view the rest of Prof. De Shutter’s statement, please click here.

 

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day in May

World Fair Trade Day is celebrated the first two weeks in May in many places throughout the world. In the United States, World Fair Trade Day is coordinated by Fair Trade Resource Network.  The theme for 2011 Fair Trade Day celebrations is “100,000 Taking a Fair Trade Coffee Break.” Find events near you, resources for planning an event, and materials for education and promotion.  

Fair Trade Resource Network is urging people to plan events and be counted in the 100,000 people who take a break for fair trade between May 1-15.  A fair trade coffee break during your church coffee hour would be a great time to do this.  If your church is already serving fair trade coffee, take this opportunity to highlight why you are doing this and make your coffee hour an educational event.  If you aren’t yet serving fair trade coffee, take this opportunity to look into this through the Presbyterian Coffee Project.

Why celebrate Fair Trade?  For starters, fair trade gives producers a just price for their goods.  But it goes further: products are environmentally sustainable; partnerships are built on mutual respect and reciprocal benefits; workers have the right to organize; and national laws of safety, health, and wages are enforced.  These are great reasons to celebrate!  Learn more about fair trade and just living through Enough for Everyone, part of the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

Enough for Everyone has programs to help bring fair trade goods to Presbyterians: The Presbyterian Coffee Project links Presbyterians with Equal Exchange Coffee, fair trade coffee that is grown sustainably (much of it is shade grown, therefore protecting forests), and is also delicious.  Sweat-Free T-shirts give Presbyterian churches the opportunity to buy fair trade t-shirts sewn at a women’s cooperative in Nicaragua.  With Sweat-Free T-shirts you can rest assured that your shirts were not produced with child labor, and and that workers were paid a just wage.   Learn about other programs offered through Enough for Everyone.

via presbyterian.typepad.com

Critical times regarding the federal budget- Your voice needs to be heard

The Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness is concerned about the impact on the House approved budget and the proposed Ryan budget on persons living in poverty across the globe, including the U.S. Although many congressional arguments are framed as partisan politics and spending cuts, this really is a significant class war (with persons on both sides of the aisle supporting similar views) emerging that threatens to debilitate many persons in local communities. State and local governments will be significantly impacted with dire poverty and the challenges that follow if some of the proposed legislation is passed by both the House and Senate. However, the greatest impact will be felt in local communities. It is important that you not be silent in these times. 
 
Constituents are important to political leaders! Your participation in the political process is important. Let your Senators and Representatives hear from you. They are on break in their local districts until Monday, May 2nd and will return to Washington on Tuesday, May 3rd. Call, write, email, text, fax...let your voices be heard.

Visit the Presbyterian Church Washington Office on Facebook or watch video posting on YouTube titled Setting a Budget Consistent With Our Faith (Part 1,2 and 3).